Rubella: causes, symptoms and treatment

Rubella is caused by a virus of the same name, and is transmitted through the respiratory tract, by contaminated secretions from the nose or throat. The incubation period of the virus is between 14 and 23 days and appears in the blood 5 or 7 days after infection, spreading throughout the body.

Thanks to vaccines, this disease is no longer so common, however, in some adults the effect of the vaccine may disappear , so they will need a booster especially in women who want to get pregnant or in those who are already pregnant.

Congenital rubella occurs when a pregnant woman contracts the virus and it is transmitted to the fetus. This contagion happens during the first trimester of pregnancy , which can bring complications such as spontaneous abortions, slowing down the growth of the fetus, brain damage, deafness, among others. Some of these complications do not necessarily occur at birth, but rather as the child grows.

If you want more information about rubella and this condition, we invite you to read the article rubella in pregnancy .

The symptoms of rubella are few, and even if the person does not present any signs, it can still be contagious. The signs that may appear are the following:

• Runny nose.
• Acne.
• Swollen lymph nodes and painful to the touch.
• Fever.
• Headache.
• General unwillingness.
• Loss of appetite
• Inflammation of the eyes.

The rubella rash lasts for three days , although the pain usually lasts for a week. The recovery of rubella takes a week, but adults may extend a little more.

Although there is no specific treatment to treat rubella , paracetamol or ibuprofen will be given to control the fever . Remember that antibiotics should not be used , as this has no effect on viral infections, unless there is a complication, in this case it is necessary that you contact the pediatrician immediately. Similarly, you should not give the child acetylsalicylic acid or aspirin . If you are pregnant and have been infected with rubella, you must wait until the baby is born to get vaccinated.

Rubella is generally a mild disease so having some home care with home remedies can show considerable improvement. Here are some home remedies for rubella :

• Rest : this will be vital so that the child can recover as soon as possible.
• Hydration : it will be very important, since the patient will lose their appetite so it is necessary to administer fruit juices, water and a soft diet, with purees, soups and vegetable broths.
• Apple cider vinegar : to soothe the characteristic rubella rash, place ½ cup of apple cider vinegar in a bathtub with warm water and give your child a bath to calm the discomfort.
• Sage and thyme : sage is a natural anti-inflammatory, like thyme, so it will help reduce pain caused by discomfort Prepare an infusion with 1 tablespoon of sage and 1 of thyme, cover and strain. Drink two cups a day.

Some preventive measures that you should take into account, especially if you want to get pregnant and have not been vaccinated, are the following:

• Vaccinate your child against rubella from 12 months and give a booster at 4 years.
• In the case of pregnant women, visit your gynecologist before pregnancy to do an immunity test and be able to get vaccinated.
• If you are pregnant and have not been vaccinated, avoid contact with children and adolescents.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Rubella: causes, symptoms and treatment , we recommend that you enter our Skin, hair and nails category .